Where to Elope in Upstate South Carolina
Bent Creek Farm Wedding | Ashley and David
I met Ashley and David in June for their engagement photos in the South Carolina Botanical Gardens, so I was excited to see them again for their December wedding!
Ashley and David were married on a 70-degree day in December at Bent Creek Farm with about 20 family members and friends. Since they met while playing World of Warcraft, they walked down the aisle to World of Warcraft music, and they quoted it in their vows.
Ashley opted for a green dress instead of a typical white one, and I’m not sure whether she looked more like she belonged in a Disney movie or in White Christmas. She paired it with a burgundy cloak, which made me think of Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas. Thankfully, both of them have seen that movie and knew what I meant when I said it!
David chose to wear a kilt to honor his Scottish heritage. He chose a tartan to fit the color scheme they chose, rather than the tartan for one of the clans his ancestors belonged to. He had a cane with a sword in it, which was super cool.
They kept their reception pretty low-key since it was only about 20 people. I loved watching their nieces and nephew dance around together. Ashley made the party favors and table decor herself, including the same fabric she used as a scarf during the engagement photos. The red and green decor paired so well with everything they chose to wear, and it fit the Christmas scheme so beautifully.
Enjoy some of my favorite photos from Ashley and David’s December wedding at Bent Creek Farm!
Venue: Bent Creek Farm
Photography: Christine Scott Photography
Hair and makeup: Collective Beauty
Officiant: Evan Welcher
Bride’s attire: Amazon
Groom’s attire: Kilt Renal USA
Catering: Laurenda’s
Desserts: Publix and Whimsy Cookies
Invitations: Truly Engaging
Like What You See?
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Elopement at Lake Jocassee | Tabitha & Mike
Tabitha and Mike eloped in front of one of my favorite places in South Carolina: Lake Jocassee!
Tabitha and Mike knew for a long time that they wanted to get married. They also knew that they didn’t want their wedding to be a huge event or a courthouse ceremony. When Tabitha was googling what the options were for something in between, she came across my blog post about where to elope in South Carolina. She and Mike were so excited at the thought of getting married in a beautiful place by themselves!
When Tabitha reached out to me, I asked her when would be a good time for a Zoom call. She said that they could drive to Greenville the next day to meet me in person. They made the drive from Florence and we met up at Spill the Beans to talk about their options. They told me they liked water and mountains, and that they were willing to go check some places out after leaving our meeting. I told them that Lake Jocassee was probably the best combination of water and mountains, and they liked the pictures I showed them. Later that night, Tabitha texted me and told me that they visited a few places, but they knew as soon as they got to Lake Jocassee that it was the place for them.
Tabitha picked out a white dress and ordered a fall-colored bouquet, where she hung a small picture of her mom, who is no longer with us. Tabitha and Mike ordered a small cake from Publix with flowers that matched her bouquet. They stayed at Sunrise Farm, the same bed and breakfast where Dan and I stayed after our wedding. They made a dinner reservation at The Lighthouse, where Dan and I had our rehearsal dinner.
We met on the beachy area of Devils Fork State Park, the only public access point to Lake Jocassee. Ken of Upstate Wedding Officiant put together a beautiful ceremony for them in front of the water and mountains. Tabitha and Mike read the vows they had written for each other and sealed the deal! It was cloudy the entire time we were there, but we saw the sky change colors a few times, which was pretty cool. We took some photos at the beach, the docks, and the trees. We hardly saw any people, making for a quiet, private, and peaceful wedding day.
Enjoy some of the photos from Tabitha and Mike’s fall elopement at Lake Jocassee!
Venue: Lake Jocassee at Devils Fork State Park
Photographer: Christine Scott Photography
Officiant: Ken at Upstate Wedding Officiant
Cake: Publix
Like What You See?
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Intimate Wedding at Callaway Gardens | Natalie & Evan
Natalie and Evan were married on a cool November evening at Calloway Gardens with their families and a few of their friends!
Natalie and Evan have the classic Hollywood story of two strangers bumping into each other in a crowded place and building a relationship. In this case, it was a bar in Athens, Georgia, home of the University of Georgia. These two were married at Calloway Gardens in southern Georgia, a place Natalie went to a lot as a child. The gardens are about the size of a state park, with beautiful and unique spots all over to take pictures. As we took the shuttle through the gardens after dark, we saw some of the Christmas light exhibits that had already been set up.
Natalie got ready in the bridal suite in the lodge, which had three balconies overlooking the fountain outside. Even though they chose not to have bridesmaids and groomsmen, Natalie’s mom and two best friends helped her get ready. After Natalie and Evan did their first look in front of the fountains, we did their family photos in the butterfly exhibit, which was a greenhouse full of butterflies and the plants that they like!
With about 30 guests at their wedding, Natalie and Evan were married in the garden’s tiny chapel in the woods with stained glass windows. We came back to the lodge for the reception in the ballroom. Evan’s mom made their wedding cake. We ended the night with a sparkler exit outside of the lodge.
Check out some of my favorite photos from Natalie and Evan’s intimate wedding at Calloway Gardens!
Venue, catering, and bartending: Callaway Gardens
Coordinator: Magnolia Lane’s Polished Events
Photographer: Christine Scott Photography
Florals: Evan Bloodworth
DJ: Crash Boat Sound
Cake: Evan’s mom, Jenny
Dress: David’s Bridal
Officiant: Chuck Shaheen
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Table Rock Wedding | Danielle and Jamie
Danielle and Jamie were married on a perfect fall day at the Gaines Lodge at Table Rock State Park!
Danielle and Jamie wanted mountains to be part of their wedding day, and the Gaines Lodge had everything they were looking for. I was so excited to be part of a wedding here because Table Rock is one of my favorite state parks, but I’d never been to the Gaines Lodge. This beautiful lodge has a porch that overlooks Table Rock Mountain, Pinnacle Mountain, and Pinnacle Lake. The fall colors were just starting to change here, so we had a good mix of green and yellow leaves.
Danielle and Jamie were married in front of about 60 friends and family members, plus their dogs, Phoebe and Guinness. Danielle and Jamie did a first look (having photos together before the ceremony), which helped them feel more at ease going into the ceremony. I loved that Danielle had a color palette for her bridesmaids’ dresses instead of having all of them wear the same color. Jamie rocked the galaxy cat socks. One of the bridesmaids arranged wooden flowers into bouquets, boutonnières, and corsages, so they will look exactly the same years down the line. At the reception, Danielle changed into a lighter dress. There was pumpkin beer at the bar and a beautiful fall-themed cake with cupcakes! The temperature was perfect and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky all day long.
Enjoy some of my favorite photos from Danielle and Jamie’s wedding at Table Rock State Park!
Venue: Gaines Lodge at Table Rock State Park
Coordinator: Jessica Innes of Social Events Design
Photographer: Christine Scott Photography
Caterer: Larkin’s Catering
Hair and makeup: Trisha and Staci with Cotton Rouge
Dress: Elizabeth Cole Bridal
Cake: Bonnie Bundt Cakes
Like What You See?
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Vow Renewal at Lake Jocassee
Melissa and Hunter were married 17 years ago. They had been thinking for a long time about renewing their vows and decided to take a trip by themselves to somewhere new!
Melissa and Hunter live in Louisiana and had never been to South Carolina before. When Melissa’s friend showed her a photo from a wedding she went to at Pretty Place, Melissa became intrigued with the idea of visiting South Carolina. She came across my blog post about places to elope in South Carolina and emailed me about coming in October. She told me that they both love mountains and water, so I showed her some photos I’d taken at Lake Jocassee, and she loved it!
Lake Jocassee is accessible through Devils Fork State Park, one of my favorite state parks in South Carolina and the best combination of water and mountains you’ll get in this state. Some of the scenery in this park reminds me more of the west coast than South Carolina—it’s so hard to believe that this is the same state that gives us places like Charleston!
The day we met was a perfect fall evening. Melissa wore a white dress and Hunter wore a dress shirt with suspenders. A friend made them a bouquet and a boutonnière. Melissa makes cakes professionally, so she wanted a small cake to bring. She made a cookie cake because it would last better during the long car ride.
We took some photos in the shade at the beginning of the Oconee Bell Trail, but we didn’t get photos with the Oconee Bells because they only bloom in the spring. We did find an American Beauty Berry bush, which has lime-green leaves and bright purple berries in the fall. As the sun got lower, we moved towards small beachy area that faces the lake. We tried to chase the buzzards away, but a random dog showed up to do it for us. Aside from that, it was a pretty quiet evening, making a pretty intimate experience in nature.
I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect fall evening to show Melissa and Hunter how beautiful this side of South Carolina is. They’re already talking about when to come back to show this place to their boys! Enjoy some of my favorite photos from Melissa and Hunter’s vow renewal at Lake Jocassee!
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Intimate Wedding at Skylight Chapel | Katie and Jeremy
Katie and Jeremy were married at Skylight Chapel in Taylors, South Carolina, with just a few friends and family members as their witnesses.
On the day of Katie and Jeremy’s wedding, the forecast was calling for thunderstorms and wind. The ceremony location changed at the last minute from Lake Robinson to just down the road at Skylight Chapel, a small and beautiful space that’s perfect for an intimate wedding like this one. When the storms died down for a few minutes, we went outside to take some photos on the stairs and at the gazebo. After the ceremony, there was a table with some of the most beautiful, colorful, and awesome flavored macarons.
With a combined total of six kids, this was a day that was truly about two families coming together. Katie, Jeremy, and each of their kids had a different colored bottle of sand to pour into a jar during the ceremony, making for a rainbow-looking sand bottle when they had all finished. Katie’s daughter was her maid of honor and Jeremy’s brother was his best man. Aside from the couple, the star of the show was Ivy, a gorgeous and friendly giant schnauzer who looks like a model in every photo I have of her. She wore a custom bandana to celebrate her parents coming together.
After the ceremony, Katie and Jeremy drove off to Brevard together to spend some time in the mountains before taking a honeymoon later this year.
Check out some of my favorite photos from Katie and Jeremy’s micro wedding at Skylight Chapel!
Coordinator and officiant: Magnolia Elopements and Microweddings
Venue: Skylight Chapel
Florals: Urban Petals
Macarons: Macarons by Renée
Dress: David’s Bridal
Thinking about having a microwedding like this one? Read more about my wedding services, or read more below for inspiration!
Where to Elope in South Carolina
Devils Fork State Park/Lake Jocassee in Salem, South Carolina
If you’ve read my post on how to elope in South Carolina, you already know that eloping doesn’t have to be at a courthouse or in Las Vegas, and you have multiple options for how to become legally married. A wedding without guests, or with only a few guests, still deserves to be the most beautiful day for you and your partner. Part of that involves setting the scene—where is the best place for YOU to elope in South Carolina?
However you choose to elope, you deserve the best photos from that day! Read more about the elopement experience, or send me a message to start the planning process!
If you’re looking for places to elope in upstate South Carolina, check out my post for where to elope near Greenville!
Skylight Chapel in Taylors, South Carolina
In this post, I’ll be talking about places to elope in South Carolina, including:
Wedding Venues in South Carolina
Hotels, Inns, and Rental Properties
Parks
Mountains
Beaches
Gardens
Lakes
Downtown
Waterfalls
Somewhere that’s special to you
And of course, the classic places: churches, courthouses, the post office, or your house!
Old Sheldon Church Ruins in Yemassee, South Carolina.
Elopement Venues in South Carolina
If there’s a wedding venue that you love, see if they offer an elopement package! Some venues only offer this package during certain days or times of the week, and some allow a small number of guests. Here are a few pretty venues in South Carolina for an elopement:
Pretty Place Chapel in Cleveland, South Carolina
Pretty Place (pictured above): Fred W. Symmes Chapel at YMCA Camp Greenville, or “Pretty Place,” is one of the most popular wedding venues in South Carolina, and one of the most popular places in South Carolina for an elopement. One of the most beautiful sunrises I’ve ever seen was at this open-air chapel in the mountains, right on the border between the Carolinas, and it gets some of the best fall foliage in the whole state. Explore other parts of Mountain Bridge Wilderness as you head back towards Greenville, then stop for a nice meal in Greenville or Travelers Rest to celebrate!
Cypress Gardens: If you’re looking for places to elope near Charleston, it doesn’t get more picturesque than Cypress Gardens. You can even ask the staff to take you to where some of your favorite movies were filmed, like where Allie and Noah take a rowboat through the cypress trees and Spanish moss in The Notebook.
Cliffs at Glassy Chapel: This chapel is in a private living community in Landrum, in northern Spartanburg County. The view from the top of the mountain is one thing, but the stone chapel is one of the prettiest I’ve seen in South Carolina.
Hewitt Oaks: When you picture a wedding in lowcountry South Carolina, this is basically as romantic-looking as you can imagine. These live oak trees in Beaufort are just dripping with Spanish moss!
View Point at Buckhorn Creek: A garden venue with Japanese vibes in Greenville where you can see the mountains in the distance. Honestly, I can’t get over how many colors are here in the spring and how big the fish in the pond are. There’s a getting ready area and plenty of space for you and any guests to have a catered dinner. Paris Mountain State Park is right down the road.
Old Sheldon Church or Chapel of Ease: Both of these historic chapel ruins in lowcountry South Carolina are hundreds of years old with no shortage of Spanish moss and southern mystique. They are both part of St. Helena Parish.
Bent Creek Farm: This venue in Anderson offers multiple ceremony spaces, a getting-ready area, and a covered indoor area as a rain plan or a space for a small reception.
River Road and Jasmine Houses and Gardens: These two houses in Columbia have plenty of beautiful garden space in between them, full of pretty flowers, bushes, and Palmetto trees. There’s plenty of space for getting ready and you can pivot to an indoor space if you need to.
Skylight Chapel: A small chapel in Taylors with both indoor and outdoor ceremony options. This is just a few minutes from Lake Robinson.
Palmetto Bluff: Want to get married in one of the places where Justin and Hailey Bieber got married? Well, here it is! This resort and spa offers white chapels and views of the South Carolina marshlands.
Heyward Manor: In the quiet of Iva, South Carolina; you can choose between getting married in or outside a white barn, among the flowers, or in a rowboat on the lake!
View Point at Buckhorn Creek in Greenville, South Carolina
Hotels, Inns, or Rental Properties
First things first: make sure the manager or the owner of the rental property knows you’re planning to get married here. Some AirBnBs specifically don’t allow weddings, so you’ll need to be on the same page with the owner about what’s happening, even if you’re not planning to have guests. Here are some hotels and inns that would be great places in South Carolina to elope:
This couple eloped in front of the mountains at the Red Horse Inn in Landrum, South Carolina. See more
Red Horse Inn (pictured above): Red Horse Inn is in northern Spartanburg County along Scenic Highway 11. Coming up the stairs and seeing this patio just about took my breath away! You can see some of the private cottages in the background, where you and your dogs can spend the night. Also, you could have a mini-pig as your witness. Campbell’s Covered Bridge is just a few minutes down the road, too. This couple had their elopement photos taken in both places!
Bleckley Inn: One of my favorite venues is right in the middle of downtown Anderson. There are multiple spaces here that can be used for an elopement or a small wedding, even if there’s another wedding happening in the main courtyard that day. You, and any guests you invite, can stay there the night before and after the wedding. This couple was married in one of the smaller dining rooms with a few family members and friends, then we took some photos outside.
Hotel Domestique: a small European-style inn north of Travelers Rest that overlooks the mountains. The inn is small enough that you and a handful of guests can have it all to yourselves. Treat yourselves to dinner afterwards at their restaurant, Restaurant 17
Westin Poinsett: Another one of my favorite venues is the Westin Poinsett, or the Poinsett Hotel, right in the heart of downtown Greenville! This 1920s hotel has multiple ballrooms and some beautiful staircases, windows, and floor tiles. If you think the word “Poinsett” looks like “poinsettia,” they’re both named for the same person, and there are plenty of poinsettias in there near Christmastime! The Westin Poinsett is almost right across the street from Falls Park.
Grand Bohemian Lodge: This gorgeous hotel is right at the end of Liberty Bridge and has one of the best views of Falls Park. If the hotel itself didn’t already have enough scenery, you’re close enough to walk all around downtown Greenville.
Intimate wedding at Bleckley Inn in Anderson, South Carolina.
South Carolnia State Parks
While a few state parks have actual wedding venues (like the Table Rock Lodge, Atalaya Castle at Huntington Beach, and the Legare-Waring House at Charles Towne Landing), you can also call the office at your favorite park to get information about eloping there! For more popular parks, you can avoid crowds by getting married on a weekday or during the winter. If you have a small number of guests, you can ask about renting a picnic shelter with a view.
I’ve been to all 47 state parks in South Carolina and can help you choose the perfect spot to get married. Waterfalls, beaches, mountains, marshes, a castle, a lighthouse - the state parks have it all! While I think all of them have the potential to be an amazing place to elope, here are some of the ones that stand out to me:
Table Rock (pictured above): This park in Pickens County has something for everyone, whether you want to hike for days or just drive to a pretty view. For an elopement, I’d recommend a short waterfall hike and watching the sunset over the mountains from the pier.
Caesars Head: One of my favorite views in the state is sunset over the mountains from the Caesars Head overlook in northern Greenville County. The overlook can be reserved during non-peak times so that you can have some privacy.
Devils Fork: This park in Oconee County is the only public access point to Lake Jocassee, one of my favorite places in the state. Say your vows on the shore or take a boat to some of the islands and waterfalls!
Hunting Island: There’s a driftwood beach here that’s perfect for a sunrise ceremony. Walk back to the rest of the park through a trail that feels like a jungle. You’ll be able to see for miles from the inside of the lighthouse!
Myrtle Beach: Myrtle Beach State Park is a relief from the crowds and litter that you’d find in other parts of Myrtle Beach. If you spend the night in the park, you can easily get to the beach for sunrise, when not as many people are awake.
Huntington Beach: Just south of Myrtle is Huntington Beach, which is also beautiful. There are lots of overlooks over marshes and if you like birds, you’ll probably see some cool ones. Atalaya Castle, a Spanish moor-style mansion, is also available to rent as a wedding venue.
Charles Towne Landing: One of the prettiest tree tunnels I’ve seen is the one in front of the Legare-Waring house, which is available to rent as a venue. There’s also a small zoo here if you want to see some animals afterwards.
Edisto Beach: This island is basically the epitome of lowcountry South Carolina scenery. Not only can you have a sunrise ceremony at the beach here, our randomly chosen campsite had a gorgeous view of the marsh at sunset.
Santee: Stay in a cabin that “floats” over Lake Marion and get married on the porch, overlooking the lake.
Jones Gap: Most of the scenery here involves a little hiking, which can vary from an easy trail to some of the hardest in the state. I’d choose Jones Gap Falls because the trail isn’t too hard, so you won’t be exhausted by the time you say your vows. The fall colors here are so beautiful!
Keowee-Toxaway: There’s a beautiful little overlook here that requires a little bit of hiking. Stay a while to have a picnic and watch the sunset!
Elopement at Devils Fork State Park on Lake Jocassee (Salem, South Carolina).
Gardens
One great thing about gardens is that they’re made to look beautiful at any time of year. In the “pretty” times of year, you’ll have a wider window for when you’ll get spring or fall scenery. Here are some gardens in South Carolina where you can elope:
South Carolina Botanical Gardens (pictured above in the winter): This is part of Clemson University, which has strong roots in agriculture and tons of people who are passionate about plants. There’s endless scenery from around the whole state of South Carolina. There are also venues and ceremony spaces to rent if you’re planning to have guests.
Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Gardens: Get married, then walk around the zoo! There multiple venues and ceremony spaces here that can be rented, with scenery inspired from all over the world.
Brookgreen Gardens: Just south of Myrtle Beach, Brookgreen Gardens has some beautiful garden scenery, sculptures, and Spanish moss. You will have to become a member of Brookgreen Gardens to get married here.
Downtown
If you don’t mind a crowd, or if urban scenery is your vibe, you can elope downtown in your city! I’m partial to Greenville’s downtown, which has a waterfall and a beautiful little park right in the heart of downtown, so you don’t have to choose between a place with urban or natural scenery. But downtown in any city could give you the option for renting a patio space, amphitheater, restaurant, or rooftop. You can also hop from your ceremony to dinner to anything else that excites you there: live performances, festivals, ice skating, or just a hotel to relax afterwards.
Liberty Bridge in Downtown Greenville, South Carolina.
Mountains
Should you hike to a summit with a gorgeous view, or make it an easy day at a restaurant, inn, or venue? Up to you!
A small part of the Blue Ridge crosses into South Carolina, giving similar scenery to western North Carolina or northern Gerogia.
While I’ve already mentioned some venues in South Carolina with mountains, you can also find a view from a few different summits. Catch the sunset at Bald Rock or Caesars Head, or trek up to Sassafras Mountain for a 360 view while one of you stands in North Carolina and the other stands in South Carolina. Some of these views require hiking, so check out some of my suggestions for finding a trail.
To learn more about choosing a hiking trail for your photos, see what I look for in a trail.
Pretty Place Chapel in Cleveland, South Carolina
Waterfalls
Whether you’re looking for a hiking adventure or an easy walk from your car, you have plenty of waterfalls to choose from in South Carolina. Waterfalls are a little tricky because they can either be difficult to get to or they can have a lot of people. Here are a few not-so-secret ones that I’d be happy to use for an elopement:
Oconee County alone has over 150 named waterfalls.
Station Cove Falls (pictured above): This is one of my favorite waterfalls. It’s an easy trail with plenty of scenery along the way. It’s in Oconee County, close to some other cool natural scenery, like Oconee Station and Stumphouse Tunnel. This couple chose Station Cove because they had about 10 family members they wanted to join them and they wanted a trail that wasn’t very difficult.
Reedy River Falls: This is the most famous one, right in the middle of downtown Greenville, but there are other smaller waterfalls within walking distance of it. There are plenty of restaurants around it if you want to celebrate afterwards! For more ideas on having a reception after your elopement, click here.
Rock Quarry Garden: It’s easy to drive right past Rock Quarry Garden without realizing it’s there. It’s in downtown Greenville, below two streets. It has a small waterfall at one end of the garden.
Wildcat Wayside: This is a one-mile trail in northern Greenville County with 3 waterfalls. The first one is a 10-foot waterfall that you can see from the road. The second is a smaller, wide waterfall up a set of steps. The third one is the biggest, but it looks more like a little trickle on a rock to me, so I’d stick with the two at the bottom.
Table Rock State Park: There’s a dam near the visitor center, but there are also 3 waterfalls of varying sizes along the 2-mile Carrick Creek Trail.
Lake Jocassee: There are at least 5 waterfalls on Lake Jocassee that are only accessible by boat.
Jones Gap: While Rainbow Falls is one of my favorite places in the state, it’s a difficult trail for only being 4 miles. I’d suggest Jones Gap Falls, which is a little shorter and not as difficult.
Beaches
Everyone thinks of Myrtle Beach and Charleston when they think of South Carolina. Even though MOST of the state isn’t actually beaches, the coast does have some really pretty spots, and it’s no wonder people visit there so much, but you can find plenty of beaches that aren’t as crowded. For a more private ceremony, get married close to sunrise, when the sun is over the water, and enjoy the rest of the day on the beach as a married couple!
Since South Carolina beaches tend to get a lot of tourists, I’d recommend either choosing a beachfront venue with an elopement package, finding a rental property along the beach, or reaching out to a park office to see if they can find a private place for you.
Lakes
If you love water but you don’t live near the beach, we have plenty of lakes in South Carolina to have your wedding!
The lakes in the upstate along Highway 11 have some gorgeous views of the mountains. This couple got married at Lake Keowee with just a few family members!
I’ve mentioned Lake Jocassee a lot in this post, since it’s my favorite lake, but there are several in South Carolina. I was married at Clemson in front of Lake Hartwell, one of the biggest lakes east of the Mississippi River. Lake Keowee (pictured above) has multiple access points, but there are also lots of lake houses available for rent. Several of the South Carolina State Parks serve as a public access point to a lake, and you can ask the park staff what their policies are for weddings.
Lake Oolenoy at Table Rock State Park
Courthouse or Post office
A post office? Hear me out on this one:
First of all, one venue in upstate South Carolina actually is an old post office that was converted into a wedding venue, but kept the aesthetic of a 1940s post office.
Second of all, a post office can provide a notary public, who can take care of the paperwork for you to become legally married.
A courthouse could also be where you sign the papers saying that you’re legally married so that you don’t have to worry about that on the actual wedding day.
Churches
This is a great option for couples who want intimacy for their ceremony, but still like the idea of a church wedding. One good thing about getting married in a church is that it comes with officiants!
If you don’t want to get married at the church you attend, you can ask your pastor to come with you to a chapel that isn’t affiliated with a parish, like Pretty Place, Cliffs at Glassy Chapel, or the chapels at Palmetto Bluffs.
Private Property
You could even get married at your own house! If a family member or friend has a beautiful house or land that you love, you could ask them to be a witness to your wedding.
A backyard wedding doesn’t sound glamorous, but using your home as your wedding venue can be really special. Make it as pretty as you want, and it’ll still be that pretty the next day!
Side note: South Carolina doesn’t require witnesses. North Carolina and Georgia both require two. I can sign as one, and literally anyone else you see can sign as the other.
Somewhere that’s Special to You
If it’s just the two of you, the sky is the limit for where to get married! For this couple, it was the amphitheater at Clemson University. Let’s face it, that amphitheater is a gorgeous place to get married, and they’ve been there so many times together.
At the end of the day, it’s about you two. It doesn’t matter how crazy your ideas sound to anyone else, especially if you’re not having guests.
How do you want to remember your wedding day?
Ready for the best day ever?
Photo by Shehzad Ziaee
My name is Christine (Scott) Gow and I’m an elopement photographer based out of Greenville, South Carolina. I’m a wife and a beagle mom. The three of us have visited beautiful places in every corner of South Carolina, to include all 47 of our state parks. Sometimes we wear hiking boots, sometimes we wear dress shoes, and sometimes we’re barefoot in the surf.
One thing I love about South Carolina is that it has just about everything in terms of scenery. Whether you’re looking for a mountaintop, a lake, or a beach; I can help you find the perfect place for the two of you and make it as smooth of a day as possible. No matter how you two choose to spend your day, I’m happy you’re doing it the way that you want.
I can’t wait to meet you!
Wedding and Elopement Inspiration
More Ideas
Ideas for Elopement Receptions
If your wedding ceremony is just the two of you, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a reception. It’s your wedding day, and you still deserve to celebrate it!
Elopement Reception Ideas:
1. Have a meal catered for two at your ceremony site.
Some caterers will deliver and set it up, just like they would for a traditional reception. A local restaurant might offer this as well. Eat some good food, cut your cake, pop some champagne, and enjoy the rest of your wedding day!
2. Make a dinner reservation.
You can celebrate at one of your favorite places to eat together, or you can treat yourselves to a new restaurant that’s a higher-end dining experience than what you’d normally choose.
3. Bring your own food to have a picnic with a view.
Make your own food, order takeout, or use a picnic service! Yes, picnic services are a thing—check out one service based out of Greenville!
4. Have a big reception with your family and friends on a different day.
It might seem counter-intuitive, but there are three reasons that come to mind for why someone might want to do it this way:
You like the idea of celebrating with other people, but still want the privacy and intimacy of an elopement ceremony.
It’s hard to get both of your families together. For example, my cousin married someone whose family lived overseas, so they had one reception with her family and one reception with his.
I’ve seen some couples who have a smaller ceremony before their planned wedding date to accommodate extenuating circumstances, like military deployment or to include a relative who is terminally ill.
Ready for the best day ever?
Photo by Shehzad Ziaee
My name is Christine (Scott) Gow and I’m an elopement photographer based out of Greenville, South Carolina. I’m a wife and a beagle mom. The three of us have visited beautiful places in every corner of South Carolina, to include all 47 of our state parks. Sometimes we wear hiking boots, sometimes we wear dress shoes, and sometimes we’re barefoot in the surf.
One thing I love about South Carolina is that it’s not just the beaches and colorful houses that you imagine when you picture it. Whether you’re looking for mountains, beaches, or anything in between; I can help you find the perfect place for the two of you and make it as smooth of a day as possible. No matter how you two choose to spend your day, I’m happy you’re doing it the way that you want.
I can’t wait to meet you!
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Greenville, SC Wedding | Mary Jane and Joey
Mary Jane and Joey were married at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Greenville, South Carolina!
I met them at their beautiful house in Greenville, where we took their husband-and-wife portraits. We lucked out with a cool fall day with a little bit of foliage around their house. They showed me some of the parts of their house that they loved and we took their photos there. I loved that their photos were taken in the place they call home!
There were 8 guests at Mary Jane and Joey’s wedding ceremony. The ceremony was held in the smaller chapel at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Greenville. The pastor arranged for all of the guests to stand in a circle around the couple at the altar. It was really special that everyone in attendance could stand beside them as they said their vows, and they got to have pictures with everyone who was there!
Enjoy the photos from Mary Jane and Joey’s beautiful intimate wedding!
Does this fit your idea for the perfect wedding day? Click here to tell me all about it!
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Elopement at Red Horse Inn | Heather and Scott
Heather and Scott were married in an intimate ceremony on a perfect fall day in front of the South Carolina mountains!
These days, there’s a lot of chaos and uncertainty that comes with planning a wedding with a large group of people, so Heather and Scott decided to embrace the idea of an intimate ceremony with just each other. Their ceremony took place on the veranda of the Red Horse Inn in Landrum—right off of Scenic Highway 11. I had seen photos of the inn on Instagram, but when I walked up to the ceremony site, I couldn’t believe how beautiful the view from the mountains was. Their voices were the only sound breaking the silence around us.
After they signed the marriage license, we got to meet Phinney, the venue’s mini pig. We were given Cheerios to feed him and his tail wagged just like a dog’s! After we took some photos around the venue, we went to their cabin, where they cut their beautiful cake. One of their cake flavors was almond, which is one of my favorites, and a flavor I never see anyone else have at their wedding. We had to take a few photos with their dogs, Brie and Beamer, who were waiting for them at the cabin.
To finish, we drove about 5 minutes down the road to take some more of their wedding photos at Campbell’s Covered Bridge. This beautiful red bridge is the only remaining covered bridge in the state, and there’s some beautiful tall grass nearby. After we said goodbye, Heather and Scott had dinner together and enjoyed the rest of the perfect fall weather with each other and their dogs.
Check out some of my favorite photos from this beautiful South Carolina mountain elopement!
Vendors:
Venue and florals: Red Horse Inn
Officiant: Raya Jackson
Hair and Makeup: Kapelli Salon
Cake: All Good Things
Photo: Christine Scott Photography
Does this seem like the perfect way to spend a wedding day? Click here to get in touch so we can start planning a personalized and intimate ceremony!
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Vendors:
Venue: Heyward Manor
Design: Corey Johnson
Planning\design: McKee Events
Florals/design: Your Special Day
Balloons: Pinch Twist Balloons
Hair and makeup: Julia and Rachel at Collective Beauty
Gowns: Katharine Marie Weddings
Rentals: BBJ Linen, Professional Party Rentals, Tri-County Event Rentals
Cake: Holly's Cakes
Models:Katherine and Tyler
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Furman University Wedding | Tina and Brad
Tina and Brad were married at Furman University on a beautiful spring day!
We did their first look along the lake. Even though there was construction and a little bit of chaos as people came by, they got to have a moment together beside the bell tower. We took a few pictures over by Daniel Chapel, then at some of the fountains across the street.
Their ceremony was at pavilion of the Younts Center, with their children by their sides. Tina’s son, Will, walked her down the aisle, which I thought was so special. During the ceremony, their officiant told how they described each of their children.
Tina and Brad had a sweet choreographed first dance. At their reception, the kids brought so much energy to the dance floor! There were glow sticks for everyone to wear, swing around, and throw back and forth.
Check out some of my favorite photos from this wonderful day!
The vendors that made this day possible:
Venue: The Younts Center at Furman University
Hair and Makeup: Ali and Leah at Cotton Rouge
Cake: The Bakery Off Augusta
Florals: Costco
DJ: Greenvillian DJs
Officiant: Tom Wood⠀⠀
Catering: Furman
Photographer: Christine Scott Photography (shoutout to Dan for second shooting during the ceremony)
If you’re getting married and you like what you see, you can click here to send me a message, or view some of my other work below!
Clemson Bridal Portraits in South Carolina Botanical Gardens | Brittany
Brittany and I met at a wedding expo in February of 2020. It was only a few weeks after she got engaged, and a few weeks before the world turned upside-down, which made it hard to set dates for anything in stone. We eventually scheduled her bridal portraits a week after her Clemson graduation portraits. She totally lucked out on the weather—about 70 degrees and partly cloudy both days!
We started Brittany’s bridal portraits at the South Carolina Botanical Gardens, which is technically part of Clemson’s campus. I love doing sessions here because it’s such a rabbit hole—there are obvious places that are pretty, but there are little pockets of hidden gems everywhere. Since Clemson has so many different majors involving plants and wildlife, it’s no surprise that there’s so much diversity in the garden and it changes so much throughout the year. On this beautiful day in May, the gardens didn’t have the pink and white blooms that it had when I did a session here in March, but there were some colorful flowers that weren’t there before, and a lot more green overall. The garden was so quiet and peaceful, with the occasional splash in the pond or rustle through the bushes. We caught the scents of different blossoms as we walked down the trail, including something that smelled like bubblegum!
I loved that Brittany’s veil complemented her ruffly dress so well, and bridal headbands are some of my favorite accessories! She found her dress at The Castle in Spartanburg. She said she loved having another opportunity to wear everything—she loved feeling like a bride and she could know a few weeks before the wedding day how her whole ensemble felt. She was so smiley the whole session!
Brittany also wanted to have some of her bridal portraits at Clemson’s main campus, since it’s become such a special place to her and held a significant role in her relationship with her now-husband. She wanted some pictures with Tillman Hall/Old Main, since she’s an education major and that’s where most of her classes are. We spent a good amount of time at Sikes Hall, which both of us love. I thought she looked like Cinderella in some of the photos we took on the steps at Sikes!
I’m so happy to have met Brittany and I’ve loved getting to know her at both her graduation session and her bridal portraits. Check out a few of my favorites that I’ve been dying to share!
Are you thinking about having photos done at Clemson? Click here to check out some of my favorite galleries from Clemson, including wedding, engagement, graduation, and pageant photos! To schedule a session, fill out my contact form to tell me all about it!
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View Point at Buckhorn Creek Wedding | Chandler and Will
Chandler and Will were married on a perfect spring day at The View Point at Buckhorn Creek in Greenville, South Carolina! I’m so excited to share the photos from their gorgeous wedding day.
There were so many sentimental parts of this wedding day! Will proposed to Chandler at his family’s lake house in Georgia around Christmas. He gave her ring from the jeweler everyone in his family has used, so I got to have a picture with three of those ring boxes together. Chandler is the sixth person in her family to wear this wedding dress. It was really special to have her mom and sisters help her put it on—three women who wore this dress on their wedding days were helping pass it on to her! Chandler also wore her grandma’s necklace and Will’s grandma’s earrings.
The View Point at Buckhorn Creek is a gorgeous venue near Paris Mountain. It overlooks the Blue Ridge Mountains and the surrounding garden is so full of color. Will and one of his friends built the cross that stood at the spot in front of the mountains where they said their vows. Since they had an early afternoon ceremony, the reception was more like a late lunch. Music played through the garden that overlooks the mountains, which made for such a peaceful atmosphere on a perfect spring afternoon! They were given a sendoff of lavender and flower petals.
Check out some of my favorite photos from this day full of peace, color, and laughter!
Vendors:
Venue: View Point at Buckhorn Creek
Catering and ice cream: Good Life Catering
Cake: Strossner’s Bakery
Music: Alie and Trevor Springgate
Officiant: Dr. Brian James
Dress: family heirloom for ceremony, Lulu’s for reception
Florals: Shari Power
Hair: Mika Davis
Groom’s accessories: Brooks Brothers
Bee cookies: Etsy
Looking for a wedding photographer? Click here to read a little more about me and what I do, or click here to get in touch!
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Station Cove Falls | Lauren and Christian
Lauren and I connected through a local hiking group, where she saw pictures I took of a couple at Carrick Creek Falls. She said that she and her husband didn’t have photos taken on their wedding day and would love to have some done together. I asked her if she had anywhere in mind, and she told me the place that was at the top of my bucket list: Station Cove Falls!
Lauren and Christian were married in front of the waterfall six months ago, with a few of their family members as witnesses. In the middle of an October with otherwise perfect fall weather, it poured the whole day. A lot of the trail had flooded, and they had to choose a different rock to stand on for the ceremony itself.
A few days after their wedding, I took the trail for the first time and it went on my bucket list for places to take pictures. There are a few reasons why this stands out to me from other trails:
You can safely take a lot of different pictures with the main attraction.
It’s an easy trail, so it’s less likely that the couple would be sweaty or exhausted in their photos—or worse, you have to turn around before you get to the good part.
It’s a short trail, so we could plan to be at the falls when the lighting is optimal and still be off the trail by dark.
It’s not too crowded, especially on weekdays.
There’s enough of a variety of pictures we could take here—it’s not just three hours of hiking with one spot that’s pretty.
Eventually, we decided to move their session from the evening to the morning because there was a high chance of thunderstorms in the evening. It was so quiet, aside from some running water and birds singing. A dog ran up to us at the waterfall, shook water all over us, and dropped a giant piece of wood at our feet and waited for us to throw it.
One thing I love about sessions with waterfalls is how loud the water is once we’re right up in front of it. We end up shouting to each other and making gestures, and it always makes us all laugh. We found the spot where Lauren and Christian stood where they said their vows, but we also made sure to get pictures at the spot they wanted to say their vows before they knew how much water would cover it.
Enjoy the photos from Lauren and Christian’s session!
Are you looking for a photographer for your intimate and unique wedding? Click here to read more about me and what I do, or click here to get in touch!
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River Road and Jasmine Houses and Gardens Wedding | Madison and Clay
It was so fun to be part of Madison and Clay’s wedding day, nearly a year after we did their engagement photos with light sabers in Greenville! This is the third wedding I’ve shot for someone in their family, so it was fun to catch up with everyone again!
Madison and Clay met through the art program at Shawnee State University, so between them, their family, and friends, there’s a lot of artistic talent. Madison made the invitations and helped with the light saber bouquets. Clay built different light sabers for himself, Madison, and each of the groomsmen. Clay’s mom made Madison’s veil and comb, their brother-in-law made Star Wars masks for everyone, including Han and Leia for Clay and Madison, and the groomsmen did such a cool job painting the car!
This spring wedding was held at River Road and Jasmine Houses and Gardens in Columbia, South Carolina. The whole day, they were surrounded by a garden with palmetto trees and flowers blooming. Madison wore her great-grandmother’s pearl necklace, which was a beautiful and sentimental touch to her overall ensemble. The boutonnières had the Rebel symbol on them and coordinated with the yellow flowers in Madison’s hair. Madison walked down the aisle to Leia’s Theme, which made for such a beautiful moment during the ceremony. Clay, of course, incorporated a quote from Anakin Skywalker into his vows: “Compassion, which I would define as unconditional love, is essential to a Jedi’s life.”
After the sun went down, we took some photos in the dark with the light sabers, like we did for their engagement session. You don’t have to be into Star Wars to be impressed with the quality of these light sabers, but if you are, you might recognize some of the different Jedi’s hilts. Madison wanted hers to be modeled after Leia’s in Episode IX. (Check out the video Crissie and I took behind the scenes with the light sabers, and be sure to turn your sound on!)
Keep scrolling to see some of my favorite parts of this wonderful day!
Venue: River Road and Jasmine Houses and Gardens
Dress: Azazie
Catering: River Road and Jasmine Houses and Gardens
Donuts: Duck Donuts
Video: Matt Bowden
DJ: DJ Krystyle
Officiant: From This Day Forward
Hair and Makeup: Studio B at The Old Mill
Light Sabers: The groom himself (Clayton’s Customs)
Assistant Photographer: Crissie Carpenter
Almost everything else you see here was a collaborative effort between the couple, their friends, and their families.
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This is the way
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Eloping in South Carolina
Overall, the word “elopement” still carries a negative connotation for lots of people. It’s become associated with tackiness, secrecy, haste, and being cheap. Now, the meaning of the word is evolving, and so is our perception of what a wedding day should be.
However you choose to elope, you deserve the best photos from that day. Read more about what I do and to get in touch!
What is an elopement?
“Elopement” technically means “escaping,” so it became used as the word for running away together to get married. I recently came across an episode of Fresh Prince where Will and Lisa secretly go to Vegas to elope instead of having a big wedding like they planned. Even though they didn’t go through with the ceremony in Vegas, Lisa said that she felt she and Will had more of a choice in what their own wedding day looked like. This still rings true today, even if eloping means something different.
Nowadays, an elopement is just a wedding without guests, and that looks different for everyone. The thought became more popular in 2020 when large gatherings had to be postponed indefinitely, and people didn’t want to postpone actually being married.
Let’s address some of what you may have heard about elopements.
Elopements are cheap.
Yes and no. If you have no guests, then you don’t have to pay for a big venue, tables, chairs, place settings, invitations, thank-you notes, favors, centerpieces, or whatever else you might provide for each person in attendance. Lots of couples who elope still invest in quality wedding vendors, or they might budget for something else, like the dress they’ve always dreamed of, or airfare to get married somewhere scenic. It’s all about paying for what you value, and that’s different for everyone.
Elopements are secretive.
It’s up to you whether to tell people about your wedding before or afterward.
Elopements are hasty.
Some people start planning elopements years in advance, just like they may for a more traditional wedding. Others “make it official” after years of being together. Both are valid.
Elopements aren’t as special as bigger weddings.
The biggest pushback for elopements is probably the idea of not having your family and friends there to see you get married. For a lot of couples, it’s not about excluding people, it’s just about having an intimate experience. One couple said, “We loved the idea of just the two of us coming together before God in nature.”
How beautiful is that?
Some people prefer to exchange their vows without other people watching and listening. It’s your decision whether or not to be surrounded by the people who are closest to you as you say your vows, and only you know who those people are.
Logistics of Eloping
There’s a lot that’s possible when you’re not accounting for a large group of people. You may not need to reserve a space, depending on where you choose to have your ceremony and pictures. Some couples have their ceremony on a mountain or in front of a waterfall, something that’s not easily accessible for other people. Some choose to do it in a more public space, which is harder to organize with a group of people. This elopement involved cutting their wedding cake right in front of Clemson’s Death Valley. It was on a whim and that would never work if there were more people than just the three of us.
No matter how you choose to get married, you will still need to sign a marriage license. This process varies by state. In South Carolina, you can either sign the papers at the courthouse or have a certified officiant come with you to where you want to have your ceremony. South Carolina also does not require any witnesses to sign the forms. North Carolina, however, requires two witnesses. I can always serve as one. The other could be your videographer if you have one, or even just someone who happens to be passing by.
For ideas on where to elope in South Carolina, check out this blog post!
What if I like the idea of both?
Maybe you love the idea of hiking to an overlook to say your vows, but you also love the idea of celebrating with your family and friends. You have a few options:
Split it into two days. One day can be an intimate ceremony with just the two of you, and the other can be a celebration with your family and friends.
Take elopement-style pictures on a different day. Maybe you could get dressed up for an engagement session in a scenic place, or you could have an adventure session on your honeymoon in your wedding attire.
Invite a small group of people. Covid popularized the term “microwedding,” which is pretty much the same thing as an intimate wedding, or a wedding with a small number of guests. For some people, it’s just their parents, and for others, it’s around 25 people.
For more ideas for having a reception for your elopement, click here.
Just like any wedding, there aren’t really any rules for what you do and don’t need to have. You can still have professional hair and makeup, a white dress, a catered meal, or a small cake, just like how you don’t necessarily have to include the typical wedding traditions in a bigger wedding. In the end, your wedding day is up to you and your future spouse. Maybe it’s a big party with a DJ and all your family and friends. Maybe it’s a handful of people who are close to you in a pretty place. Maybe it’s just the two of you at your house. What does the perfect day look like to the two of you? Start there.
My name is Christine (Scott) Gow and I’m an elopement photographer based out of Greenville, South Carolina. I’m a wife and a beagle mom. The three of us have visited beautiful places in every corner of South Carolina, to include all of our state parks. Sometimes we wear hiking boots, sometimes we wear dress shoes, and sometimes we’re barefoot in the surf.
One thing I love about South Carolina is that it’s not just the beaches and colorful houses that you imagine when you picture it. Whether you’re looking for mountains, beaches, or anything in between; I can help you find the perfect place for the two of you and make it as smooth of a day as possible. No matter how you two choose to spend your day, I’m happy you’re doing it the way that you want.
I can’t wait to meet you!
Elopement Planning Resources
Clemson Elopement | Katie and Matt
Katie and Matt knew they wanted their wedding day to be unique and intimate. A year and a half after I did Katie’s Clemson graduation portraits, she told me they were planning to elope and asked if I could do their wedding photos. Since so much of Matt and Katie’s story takes place around Clemson, it felt like a perfect fit for them. They said they shared a lot of memories at the amphitheater, so we made a plan for them to get married there on New Year’s Eve.
Katie, Matt, and I met up at the amphitheater with my friend Rebecca of A Different Officiant. Since it was New Year’s Eve, there weren’t hardly any people around, and only the bells of the clock tower broke the silence around them. Even though there was a high chance of rain for the whole day, none came down while we were together! We went through so much of campus that day, even through some of the botanical gardens. Since there were no guests, Katie and Matt could spend their wedding day wherever. They popped a bottle of champagne together on Bowman Field, which made for plenty of laughs as it sprayed everywhere. They even cut their wedding cake right in front of Death Valley!
Katie and Matt spent years walking this campus with no idea that they were passing by the place where they would someday get married. This was such a fun day that was totally centered around them and their story. Check out some of my favorite photos from Katie and Matt’s wedding!
Special thanks to Rebecca Inman of A Different Officiant for making it possible for Katie and Matt to get married in a place that was so special to them. Their cake came from Sugar Mama’s Cakes and Desserts in Seneca.
Ready to have a wedding ceremony that’s super intimate and totally unique to you? I’d love to help you make that happen!
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